Vol. 5 No. 3 (2022): Pakistan Journal of International Affairs
Articles

SUICIDAL TENDENCIES & RISK FACTORS AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

Published 2022-12-25

Abstract

Suicide among young generation has surged in Pakistan, and it has become a major concern. According to a recent report by the World Health Organization, Pakistan's suicide rate has alarmingly surpassed 08% and one in every 200 suicide attempts results in death (The Express Tribune, 2022). Thus, the purpose of the following exploratory study was to investigate the factors that increase suicidal ideation in male and female students and to discover which gender is more likely to acquire suicidal tendencies. 40 interviews with male and female students from three universities located in Jamshoro, Sindh, were performed using a qualitative research methodology to acquire the data. These factors were grouped into three major themes: 1) Environmental factors, 2) Historical factor, and 3) Health-related factors. Moreover, the outcomes of the second objective revealed that female students are more prone to develop suicidal thoughts than male students. The study concluded with policy recommendations to prevent student suicide, such as including mental health issues in the school curriculum to ensure that children have a solid understanding of mental health from a young age and universities organizing seminars and workshops on life skills, problemsolving techniques, and communication skills to foster a positive attitude in students.